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Dear PIs, I’m writing to share some quick updates regarding what we are learning from DC. (1) The United States Department of Energy is taking the necessary steps to pursue a 15% F&A cap. This is currently being litigated in court and is under a temporary restraining order; (2) All new research awards from NSF have been frozen pending review for alignment with the current administration’s priorities. Furthermore, “awards not aligned with NSF’s priorities have been terminated, including but not limited to those on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and misinformation/disinformation;” and (3) A leaked internal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) FY26 budget document details the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) budget “passback,” revealing major proposed cuts to HHS funding and programs. This includes proposals for significant funding decreases for agencies like the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Moreover, this would call for a 15% F&A cap across federal funding agencies in addition to the elimination of various institutes and programs like HRSA and Head Start. While this document purportedly represents an OMB proposal, Congress will ultimately decide on the funding levels and policy proposals. Please note that Wayne State’s leadership team is working around the clock with professional organizations, our elected officials, Michigan’s University Research Corridor (URC), and other stakeholders to advocate fiercely on Wayne State’s behalf. We believe strongly in our mission and remain energized by all the work you are doing to have a collective impact on the city of Detroit and state of Michigan. Several of you have reached out to ask about advocacy opportunities. A critically important thing you can do is to share information or stories with us (research@wayne.edu) about the community impact of these cuts. Please also stay connected with coordinated efforts being led by national networks and organizations in your fields and reach out to me (vpr@wayne.edu) with specific advocacy questions as they come up. Sincerely, Ezemenari M. Obasi, Ph.D.
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